The Leading Candidates

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.8m)

GW33 Opponent: Southampton (H)

For me, Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the leading candidate for the captaincy this week.

The Gabonese forward has both form and fixture on his side ahead of a Gameweek 33 visit to the Emirates Stadium for hapless Southampton.

The Saints have conceded 11 goals in their last five away trips, an average of 2.2 per game, and given how woeful they looked in their 3-0 defeat to fellow strugglers West Ham, it's hard to see any improvement occurring at Arsenal.

The Gunners, by comparison have been completely dominant at home against sides outside the top six this season.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is looking like a serious candidate for the captaincy this week (Image: Getty Images)

In 11 fixtures at the Emirates against sides of that description they have won on every occasion scoring 34 goals in the process, conceding just six.

Aubameyang himself has become a crucial part of that since signing for the club in January.

He now has five goals already as a Gunner and has been involved in that many in the last three matches alone (four goals and one assist).

In the last two matches he has racked up an average of four shots on goal so his underlying statistics suggest his form will continue, and with such an out-of-form opponent rocking up to a fortress of a stadium, a big haul should be expected.

And if you worried about Mohamed Salah, then remember that Aubameyang actually outscored him by six points in Gameweek 32...

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The Daredevil Differential Defender

Skhodran Mustafi (£5.4m)

GW33 Opponent: Southampton (H)

DISCLAIMER: Please do remember that these DDD picks are only for the completely insane and NOT the faint-hearted!

This was a close call between Mustafi and Nacho Monreal but the German won out in the end for what he's done in his last two fixtures.

He managed to claim two bonus points in a 3-0 win in Gameweek 32 despite not being involved in any of the goals (from an FPL perspective anyway).

There was a strong suggestion he should have been awarded the assist for Aubameyang's second goal but even still, to have made enough clearances, blocks and interceptions to do well on BPS despite registering nothing more than a clean sheet (in a game with two goal-scorers) is impressive.

We were torn between these two Arsenal men - Mustafi (right) won out in the end! (Image: Getty Images)

Mustafi also scored in in the 3-0 win over Watford in Gameweek 30, as well as keeping a clean sheet.

We've already demonstrated Arsenal's strong record at home against sides outside the top six, so I'd say a shut-out is on the cards this week too.

Of the six goals Arsenal have conceded in 11 games against non-top six clubs, three of those came in one game and even that was all the way back in Gameweek 1 against Leicester.

Southampton are goalless in their last two away trips and are not expected to trouble the Gunners.

There are certainly much worse options out there for a barmy captain choice than Mustafi!